The Milwaukee Bucks (+650 to win the NBA Championship) are almost assured of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but they can still add to their glittering record with a win against the Philadelphia 76ers (+900) on the road this week. The Sixers, meanwhile, are on a hot streak at home, and they have no plans of seeing that end at the hands of Milwaukee.
The Bucks are all right. After seeing their four-game winning streak end with a 136-135 overtime road loss to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, Milwaukee recovered quickly and bounced back by trouncing the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Monday, 131-121. Despite not having the services of star forward Khris Middleton, the Bucks took down Brooklyn by riding on the shoulders of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe, who scored 28 and 29 points, respectively. It also helped them that the George Hill came off the bench and provided a surprise output of 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field. Middleton is unlikely to play again this Thursday against the Bucks due to a groin injury, and even if he’s fine, Milwaukee won’t probably risk it, considering the team is already assured of a spot in the playoffs. Milwaukee’s excellent outside shooting is something to watch out for. The Bucks have made 29 3-pointers in the previous two meetings this season with Philly, including the 16 they dropped from deep, albeit in a 130-125 home loss to the Sixers last month – the same game Antetokounmpo exploded for 52 points. The Bucks won the first meeting back in October, also at home, 123-108.
The Bucks are 4-1-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last six games.
Betting on the Philadelphia 76ers (49-28)
Like the Bucks, Philadelphia is also trying to rest some of their starts. That includes Joel Embiid, who didn’t even play in the Sixers’ recent three-game road trip. Hopefully for people looking to bet on the Sixers, Embiid will be on the floor when the team comes back home this Thursday to play the Bucks. Milwaukee does not seem to have an answer to Embiid, who has 70 points in two meetings with the Bucks this season. He scored 30 in the October date with Milwaukee and 40 in the rematch last month. If Embiid can’t give it a go in the third meeting with the Bucks, the Sixers will give increased opportunities for Boban Marjanovic and Jonah Bolden to show their stuff. There’s also a possibility that the Sixers will miss Jimmy Butler, who has also missed some games of late due to a back and abdominal issues. In any case, Philadelphia still have Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, and a bench that has outscored Milwaukee’s second stringers in each of the last two meetings.
The Sixers are 6-0 SU in their last six games, including a 118-115 win over the Boston Celtics on Mar. 20. The over is 3-0 in Philly’s last three at home, too.
